Nairobi Central SDA members oppose re-opening of the church

Worshipers locked out at the Nairobi Central SDA Church on August 10, 2019.

In Summary

The church was on August 10, 2019 closed by the government, in a directive issued by Nairobi County Commissioner Flora Mworoa, citing security concerns.

The worshipers, in a press statement issued on Wednesday, stated that – according to Ms. Mworoa’s directive – the church was supposed to remain shut until the two warring parties come to an agreement.

A section of Nairobi Central Seventh-day Adventist (SDA) church members have decried the re-opening of the church saying issues which led to its closure are yet to be addressed.

The church was on August 10, 2019 closed by the government in a directive issued by Nairobi County Commissioner Flora Mworoa, citing security concerns.

The worshipers, in a press statement issued on Wednesday, stated that according to Ms. Mworoa’s directive, the church was supposed to remain shut until the two warring parties come to an agreement.

“It was therefore with dismay that we learned of the re-opening of the church under strange circumstances,” read the statement.

They also dismissed reports published in the Kenyan dailies on Sunday which allegedly quoted Nairobi Police Commandant Philip Ndolo saying their group had snubbed a meeting convened at Nairobi Area Headquarters to decide on the matter.

The group however said they were neither invited nor were they aware of such a meeting, further demanding evidence from Mr. Ndolo that they had indeed snubbed the meeting.

“All we have read from press reports and social media is that the church leadership assured the Government that it was capable of handling the security situation and on the strength of that assurance, the Government permitted the church to be re-opened,” they added.

According to them, the re-opening of the church is “strange, unbelievable and suspicious” since the differences have not been resolved.

“We have learned that the church leadership together with some elders who are leaning towards the church leadership performed a cleansing ceremony to ostracize the demons at the church on Friday evening. How can such cleansing be done before the matter is resolved?” Posed the church members.

“Even when the church re-opened on Saturday, the leadership posted goons at the gate to vet members of our group, preventing those targeted from accessing the church.”